Freewheeling device



FREEWHEELING DEVICE Y Filed July 17, 1951 3 sheets-sheet 1 nvenlor ltorney 34 35 zezl-z? 29 Aug. 1, 1933. PlLCHER 1,920,712

FREEWHEELING DEVICE Filed July 17, 19.31I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 z y nvcnlor Zar/am FZ7/CZ@ ,/Illomcy Aug.1, 1933. 1 C, F, PILCHER 1,920,712

i FREEWHEELING DEVICE y Filed July 17, '1931 5 Smeets-Sheet 3 Inventor Patented Aug. 1, u

\ FREEWHEELINGvDEvrcE- 1 Vcharles F. Pilcher, st. Louis, Me.

'A ppeation 'July 1'1,v 1

931. .serierNe 551,480

The present invention relates to a free wheeling device ifor motor vehicles and hasforrone of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of` this character embodying. a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts', whereby the same: may

be lexpeditiously. rendered inoperative ,or opera-` tiveas desired bythe driverof the vehicle.

VAnother .important object 'of l the inventionV -is Y to provide 'a free .wheeling device of theV character` set forth.whiol'iwisr adapted to be operatively mounted for use onrvehicles which are already in use without. the necessity of materially altering the-same-structurall'y.- I. 1 i

Y Otherfobiectsotthe invention are..provide 'i1-freev wheeling device-of the character described which ...will simple yin construction, strong,

durable, eflioientiand reliable inpoperation and which may be manufactured and installed at low l -=All ofthe foregoingandes'till further objects and:advantagesofQthefinventionv will become apparent from a'study-` of the following specification, taken in connection with. thet accompany V-ing ,drawings; wherein likeicharactersxzof-referenee designate4 corresponding parts' throughoutA the several "views, and whereinz-l .5 l. vFigure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal seotion throughan'` embodiment A of the invention.'

-Figu1e A2 is a View in vertical cross-section taken substantially onthe line +2v oflFgure 1 looking in the direction indicatedby the arrow.. i

Figure 3 Yis a detail view `in rear elevation of the ltraveling!clutchlmember.

' 35 rig-ure .4--1'5 ye detail view in .frent eievetienef Ythe portion-:of the device which is mounted on 1 Figure 5 is a 'viewln verticali longitudinal `section througha modifledform of the invention.

one oflltheoes'sentialportions of the device. Referring now to the drawings in detail, itawill be -seenv that the reference numeral. =1Jdesi`gnates therear 4portior'rof a transmission housing from which the rotatable transmission shaft 2 projects rearwardly. `Asleeve 3 is Adisposed 'onthev pro-4 jecting end portion of the transmission shaft 2 'and-is'vheld `against rotation by a'ke'y 4. Said is formed integrally arr external flange .5 'having a useries-of openlngs therein; the purpose of which wlllfbepresently set forth: :The rear :end:-

' portion of-the transmission shaft 2. isf-reduced 8 which extends into the socket of the `s1eeve3 pin 25-is threadedinto theclutch rnember 23 an sleeve has a socketed rear end portion upon which y shndfthreadedg as-at 7,:toreceivea retaining nut' and is engaged withsaid sleeve foi` retaining the sameV in position on the transmission shafty '2. QA' Cotter pin 9 extends transverselythrough the re-V taining nut 8v. and kthe reducedthreaded portion of the transmission shaft 2 forlocking said GQ retaining nut on said transmission shaft.

A substantially `cylindrical block 10 is fixed in' Aany suitable mannerfasby welding or'by bolts to the rear face of the flange 5 and said block is provided with passages 11 `which register. with 55 the openings 6' of the flange 5. Extendingfrearwardly from the cylindricalblock `1'0 is an annu` lar flange'12 which constitutesia cylinder. The.

block 10 is Arecessed lin its iforward portion for thereception of the .rear lportieri of the' sleeve 3 70 and the nut 8..` Aspirally threaded 'shaft 13 extends rearwardly fromfthe cylindrical block 10, said shaft 13 being integral with the block and terminating in a reduced, threadedshank 14.

A ybushing 15l is threadedon theshank 14`and 75 v 4 secured thereon byacotter pin 16 'extending Vtransversely through the rear, end portion of the bushing `and the-shank.. A clutch member 1'7 is rotatably'mounted on the bushing 15 and retained againstrearward movementthereon by an external flange l-lformed integrally on a rear p or- `tionof the-bushing. The clutchfimember 1'7 lis bolted, as'at V19, on the forward'end of thedrive shaft 20of the vehicle.VV The clutch member 17 ispmounted for rotation ,in the cylinder 12 andf.`

is provided with alseries of sockets ZleXtending thereinto from its-'forward end and adapted to -be`brou`ght into registry with-the 'openings 6 and the passages llewhen` the lfree wheeling device'is 'tobe renderedfinoperative, as will be more fully .9

hereinafterrset forth. y v i Theforward portionof the clutchmember l-'is chambered, as at 22, for the reception of a longi' tudinally movable vclutch member `23 which is tiireadeiny mounted en the. spirauyy threaded 9,5 shaft 13.` The clutch member 23 is peripherally grooved 'for vther-reception of'anfe'xpansible split `ring 24iwhich` is adapted for frictional engagement with the/periphery ofthe chamber 22. A x

d is'p'rovided'with a reduced lfreejend portion dise posed between the ends ofY the ring 24 for retainingfsaid ringagainstrotary movement-.relative j tothe clutch member 23. An expander 26 is' dis- A posed in the channel ofthe clutch member 23 bev1.05. neath thesplit ring 2 4 for yieldingly urging-:said split ring .outwardly vagainst the clutchmember 1'?.k The rear face of V.the clutch member `2`3y is provided. withffa circular series ofsockets 2'?` :for-[nd the reception of the `pins 28 in, the clutch member 31 is mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on a suitable supporting bracket 32. The hand lever 31 is provided with a knob 33 on its upper end. Of course, the lever 31 extends upwardly into the body of the vehicle within conj in for registry with the openings in the block and venient reach vof the operator of said vehicle. The inner periphery of the ring 29 is provided v'ith a pair of circumferentially extending grooves 34 for the reception of the spring pressed'detents which are slidably mounted in the cylindrical block l0. v

Rods 36 aremounted slidably in the openings `6 and the passages 1101" the flange 5 and block 10,.respectively, for engagement in the sockets 21 v In use, when the direction of power is from the transmission shaft 2 to the drive shaft'20 of the vehicle, the frictional engagement of thefring 24 with the clutch member 17 will cause the clutch member 23 to be threaded rearwardly on the spirally threaded shaft 13 until the pins28 engage in the sockets 27 and in this manner a positive drive is had from the transmission shaft to the drive shaft. Shouldthe direction of power be reversed, or be from the drive shaft 2Q toward the transmission shaft 2, the clutchmember- 17 will actuate the clutch member 2,3 through the medium of the friction ring 24, in a manner to thread said clutch member 23 forwardly on the spirally threaded shaft 13, thusdisengaging the sockets 27 from the pins'28 and permitting rotation of `the drive shaft 2O at greater speed than the transmission shaftv 2. `When it is desired to lockthe drive shaftf2 to the transmission shaft 2 against Yindependent rotation atall times, this isaccomplished by actuating thelever 31 manually: to shift the ring 29 rearwardly and engage the rods 36 in the sockets 21 of the clutch member 1'7 and positive drive or 'connection is thus provided. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated y inEigure 5 of the drawings, the free wheeling-` device is built into the transmission of the vevide a female clutch member 40' for operative engagement by a male 'clutch member 41 `.which is splined on the transmission shaft 2'. A hand lever ll2 is operatively engaged with the clutch member 41* for shifting the same on the transmission shaft 2 into and out of engagement with .the clutch member 40.

It is believed that the many advantages Yof a vfree wheeling device in/a'ccordance with'Y this-in Y ventionwill be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is `to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangementof yparts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. f

What is claimed isz- Y l. A free Wheeling device for motor Vehicles' comprising a sleeve fixed on the' transmission shaft of the vehicle, a flange on the sleeve, a block fixed on the flange, ssd block fiangejhaving aligned openings therein, a` cylinder formed inte-v grally with the block and extending rearwardly therefrom, a spirally threadedV shaft extending rearwardly from the block and disposed centrally v in the cylinder, a reduced threaded shank on theV free end of the spirally threaded shaft, a clutch member rotatably mounted on the threaded shank, soif clutch member having sockets theretheflange, said clutch member being rotatable in the rcylinder and having the drive shaft of the vehicle secured thereto, clutch member threaded for operation on thespirallythreaded shaft and operable within theflirst named clutch member,

fricticnal means operatively connecting the ses# ond named clutch member to the rst named clutch memberfor actuation ,thereby, the second named clutch member having a plurality of sockrook v ets therein, and pins on 4the vfirst namedclutoh `member engage'able in thesockets forv positively connecting the clutchmembers together when the second named clutch member is movedrearwardly on the spirally threadedshaft.

2. A free wheeling device'for motor vehicles comprising a sleeve xedon the transmission shaft of the vehicle, a flange on the sleeve, a block fixedon the flange, said block and flange having aligned openings therein, a cylinder formedintegrally with the block and extending rearwardly therefrom, a spirally vthreaded shaft extending rearwardly from the block and Vdisposed ,cen-

trally inthe cylinder, a reduced threaded shank' on the free end ofthe spirally threaded shaft,

threaded shaft and operable within Athe first named clutch member, frictional means operatively'connecting the second named clutch mem- *ber to the rstfnamed clutch member for actuation thereby,V the second named. clutch member having a plurality lof sockets therein, and pins on the first named clutch member .engageable in the sockets for positively connecting the clutch members together when the second namedy clutch member is moved rearwardly V,on the spirally ,threadedl shaft, a ring encircling the flange, the block and the cylinder for longitudinal move-- `ment thereon, -means operativelyA connected to the ring for manually shifting theY same, means engageable with thering for releasably securing the same in shifted position, and means mounted on the ring and engageable with the -rst named clutch member for positively locking said ,first named clutch member to the flange for actua v' tion thereby. f

3;-A'free wheeling devicefor motorvehicles comprisingl a sleeveL xed on the transmission shaft of,` the vehicle, a flange on thesleeve, a block xed on the flange, said block and flange having aligned-:openings therein, a'l cylinder formed integrallyv with ,the block and extend? 1,920,712 fy H f e' 3 ing rearwardly therefrom, a spirally"thread ed shaftA extending rearwardly fromthe block and disposed centrally in the cylinder, a reduced threaded shank on the free end of the spirally'.y

threaded shaft, a` clutch member Vrotatably mounted on the threaded shank, c said clutch member' having sockets therein for registry with the openings "in the block` and the flange, VSaid clutch member being rotatable in the cylinder and having the drive shaftof the vehicle secured thereto, a clutch member threaded for operation on the spirally threaded shaft and operable within the firstv named clutch member, frictionalmeans operatively'connecting the: second named clutch `member tothe rst named clutchmember. for

actuation thereby, the second named clutch member having a plurality of sockets'therein, and pins Y on the rst named clutch member` engageable inI on the ring and engageable with the first named Y i "clutch memberv for positively locking said flrst named clutch member to the flange for' actuation i thereby,` the last named means; including rods n l disposedl slidably inthe passages injthe flange and `in the block and engageable in the sockets -of the first named clutch member, said rods beingconnected to the ring for actuation thereby,

4. `In a free wheeling device, a member having a recess therein, a vclutch member located in the recess, `one of said members having sockets therein and the other member having projections thereon for engaging the 'sockets whenthe clutch member has been moved to a certainvposi'- tion, a member including a spirally threaded f shaftand said clutch member having a spirally threaded bore through `which the shaft' passes,

said clutch member having an annular groove' in its periphery, a split friction ring located in the' groove, expanding means located in the' `groove forforcing the ring,v outwardly against portions of the wall of the recess, a projection on the clutch member engaging la part of the ring Yfor moving the ringwith the clutchmember, a

driven shaft connected withthe first mentioned member and a drive shaft connected with vthe membercarrying the spirally threaded shaft. I 

